


And Your Eyes Look Like Coming Home

by Streetlamp_Sunset



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: Future Fic, Happy Ending, Kid Fic, Multi, Polyamory, Post-Canon, Threesome - F/F/M, Thruple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:08:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25587214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Streetlamp_Sunset/pseuds/Streetlamp_Sunset
Summary: She turned to look at him and his breath caught in his throat. He’d assumed Patrick and David had adopted a second child, but those were Alexis’s features on her tiny face, surrounded by a halo of soft curls. She tilted her head as she studied him, swaying in her powder pink sundress, with blue, blue eyes.“Hi,” he said, kneeling in front of her. “I’m Ted, it’s nice to meet you, Theia.”
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose, Stevie Budd/Theodore "Ted" Mullens/Alexis Rose
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	And Your Eyes Look Like Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> Title from Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift
> 
> Rating with probably go up with chapter two

Ted drove up the path, gravel crunching beneath his tires as he parked in the shade of a large elm tree. He’d practically had to beg Twyla for Alexis' address when he got back to Schitts Creek, everyone acting cagey when he asked about her. He had meant to keep in touch, but staying friends with Alexis and David on social media meant he saw her face all too often. Stevie and Patrick were a compromise, but she’d started popping up more and more their feeds too. 

At the end of the lane, there was a two story that would’ve looked at home in the English countryside. He was about to go up and ring the bell when he heard the sound of a child's laughter from the trees. He looked up to find a large wooden treehouse resting on the fork of an oak.

“Stay here, Theia,” a voice said. Suddenly, there was a tiny body jumping from the branches. She was so much taller than in his memory; the ends of her coppery curls had been dyed blonde. She looked more child in her flowy black jumpsuit than the toddler he’d left behind.

“Hello, Lucy,” he said. She raised an unimpressed eyebrow, a move she’d picked up from David early in life. He realized with a start that it didn’t look funny anymore, David’s expressions on her small face. He’d been gone long enough that she had made them her own.

“Ted,” Lucy answered. He was relieved, despite her short tone, that she remembered him in the first place. Years ago, Patrick’s ex had shown up pregnant with only a few months to live. He and David had chosen to keep the baby; the whole town rallied around them. Ted had been Lucy’s uncle then, when everyone assumed he’d marry Lex. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“I was looking for Alexis,” Ted said. Her face did something complicated he couldn’t read. Before she could respond, a tiny blonde child scampered from the tree.

“Theia,” Lucy said, crossing her arms. “I told you to stay there.” She gestured at the fort even as she caught the toddler who barreled into her legs.

“I wanted to meet Ted,” the child, Theia, said plainly. 

She turned to look at him and his breath caught in his throat. He’d assumed Patrick and David had adopted a second child, but those were Alexis’s features on her tiny face, surrounded by a halo of soft curls. She tilted her head as she studied him, swaying in her powder pink sundress, with blue, blue eyes. 

“Hi,” he said, kneeling in front of her. “I’m Ted, it’s nice to meet you, Theia.”

“Hello, Ted,” she said, shockingly deadpan for all of her expressive motions. Before he could worry for her, her mouth turned up at the corner. “Mom’s home,” she said, wandering off to meet the car parking behind his. Lucy sighed, meeting Ted’s eye’s with a grim expression.

“I told you you shouldn’t have come,” she said, looking past him. Ted stood and turned, mentally preparing himself to see Alexis after all these years. His heart capsized in his chest. 

“I’m not the only one you left behind, Uncle Ted.” The word choice stung, a deliberate kindness, as he watched Stevie swing her daughter up into her arms. 

It was the swirl of pink that did it, and Stevie’s curls falling down her shoulder. He was hit with a rush of memories. They were seven, sitting on the bank with bare feet dangling in the creek. Stevie was recklessly brave, walking over mossy logs, arms spread wide from her rail thin body. Twelve, and it wasn’t done anymore, being friends with a girl. Ted gave her half his sandwich at lunch anyway. They ate silently in the shade of a tree that whole year. Sixteen, and she was stumbling out of the back of Mutt Schitt’s buick, a spill of smeared lipstick and pink taffeta. Ted didn’t have a car, but he carried her home. He had loved her for years, until one day he didn’t know her anymore.

“Your Dads asked me to send you home, Lu,” Stevie said, ignoring Ted completely as she approached. Lucy bumped their shoulders together. Stevie bent down to kiss her forehead, “Thanks for watching her.”

Lucy hummed, smirking, “I expect you’ll add it to my next paycheck.” 

Stevie rolled her eyes, “Better get going before David eats all the fajitas.” Theia giggled from her place on Stevie’s hip, reaching out to boop Lucy on the nose. 

“Oh my god, Aunt Stevie,” she whined, “you didn’t tell me it was fajita night.” She shot Ted an apologetic look before taking off in a dead sprint down the lane. “I’m coming beautifully grilled chicken,” she yelled to no one in particular.

“Mommy, I want fafitas,” Theia stated. 

Stevie sighed, “We’ll check the menu, okay, ‘Tato.” She glanced at Ted. “You’d better come in too. I need to get her fed. I’m not dealing with two emotional meltdowns tonight.” 

Ted sat at their kitchen table, taking in the various family photos which hung on the walls with curious eyes. Stevie was beside Alexis and the baby from the start. Theia was coloring next to him, Stevie having provided them both with a box of crayons, a piece of printer paper, and orders to stay put. 

“Ted,” Theia said, poking him in the arm with a crayon. “I need the blue one,” she scowled, scrunching up her nose as if the next word pained her, “please.” 

“Here you go.” He handed it to her. “You have very nice manners.” 

She nodded, letting out a pleased hum, “I do.” 

Ted grinned, “what are you drawing?” She turned to him, a look of confusion on her face.

“A dog,” she said, glancing between him and the paper. “You know about dogs, right?”

“Quite a lot about them, actually,” Ted laughed. 

“Oh, good,” she let out a drawn out sigh. “Mama says we can’t trust people who don’t like dogs. ‘sept Uncle David, but he’s dumb.” She turned to him conspiratorially. “He doesn’t even like baby doggies.” 

Ted laughed, nodding, “That I do remember, how does Alexis feel about your mom’s rule?” Theia sighed again, face exasperated.

“Alexis is Mama, Stevie is Mom,” she repeated like she had parroted the sentence a thousand times. “Mama says dogs are the cutest,” she told him with more inflection, if only slightly.

“Giving away trade secrets in here?” Stevie asked before he could fully process that Alexis was a dog person now. She set a plate down in front of Theia’s drawing. She handed Ted a bowl while Theia packed up her crayons. “We eat as a family; Alexis will be home soon.” 

“Thanks,” he said, pushing his art materials to the side. 

“Mama likes dogs is a secret?” Theia asked before taking a bite of a carrot.

Stevie shook her head, “sarcasm.” Theia nodded seriously, going back to her meal. “She’s not yours,” Stevie said, nodding at the child between them. Ted let out a relieved sigh, because he’d been doing the math and she looked right around that age.

“Lex got pregnant in a really fucked up way though,” Stevie said, answering the next obvious question. “She went to get her IUD changed and they mixed her up with an artificial insemination appointment.” Ted’s eye’s darted to Theia. “Oh, she’s heard the story a thousand times.”

Theia nodded, “They put a baby in Mama, cause they’re recompetent.”

“Incompetent,” Stevie provided. 

Theia nodded, “ _ Incompetent _ health care pro-fessionals.” 

“That’s, wow,” Ted shook his head, “When did all of this happen, why wouldn’t Lex reach out?” Stevie smiled at him, sadly.

“She was pregnant when you left, Ted.” His heart felt like it was turning to ash in his chest. “You had already decided to go.” 

“I would’ve stayed,” he said, voice thick with emotion.

“Um, exactly,” a familiar voice said from the doorway. “Which is why I didn’t tell you.” Ted turned, eyes tearing up a little as he took her in. Her hair was a warm brown now, a curly tendril escaping her bun. 

“Hi,” he managed. Alexis’ expression softened. 

“Hi,” she said, reaching a hand out to steady herself on the doorway. She took a deep breath, bright smile taking over her face as she turned to her daughter. Alexis came over to the table, bending to kiss Stevie hello.

“Dinner smells yummy,” she said, pressing their foreheads together before moving to hug Theia. “Hey, baby, did you have a good day with Lulu and Auntie Twy?” Theia nodded, curls bouncing over her face; Stevie reached out to brush them away. 

“Boop, Mama,” Theia deadpanned, reaching out to tap Alexis’ nose. 

“Aww, boop to you too, baby,” Alexis said, kissing her forehead before settling in the open chair.

“Lex taught her that when she was a baby,” Stevie said, turning to Ted, “and now my daughter says ‘boop’ instead of ‘I love you’.”

“Oh my god, babe,” Alexis said and Ted did his best not to react to the pet name. “It’s literally the cutest thing and you know it.”

“It is pretty cute,” he said, watching the child glower her salmon before taking a bite.

Alexis nodded, eyes shining, full of love, “She’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”

"Be right back," Stevie got up to grab their plates, hand trailing over Alexis’ shoulder. Alexis reached up to catch her fingers, smiling over her shoulder as she disappeared into the kitchen. 

“It’s good to see you,” Alexis said, but he heard the question in it. His gaze drifted between her and Theia. Ted held her eyes.

“I’m here to stay,” he promised. A smile lit up Alexis’ face. Stevie set a plate of salmon and asparagus in the center of the table.

“That’s good to hear,” She said as she sat down, trademark sarcasm deliberately absent. 

Ted hadn’t come home expecting Alexis to be waiting for him, but he’d hoped they would find their way to each other again. This was the best case scenario after that, Alexis having found someone to love her. Stevie too, deserved to be happy. He could be happy for them.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for reading!!  
> ❤️ Sunset


End file.
